Kevin Stefanski will return to the place where he spent 14 years on Sunday when his Cleveland Browns face the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Kickoff is at noon. CBS will televise the game with Kevin Harlan on play-by-play, Trent Green as analyst and Melanie Collins on the sideline.
The reigning AFC Coach of the Year plans to shake hands and exchange greetings with plenty of opposing coaches and players, but he's not treating the trip as any sort of reunion.
"It's a special place," Stefanski said. "I had a great time there and was treated great by the organization, from the ownership, coaches, and the staff. I have really good friends there.
"With that said, it's a really big game. They're a really good team. That has our full attention."
Cleveland is 2-1 after a 26-6 win over Chicago. Minnesota is 1-2 after beating Seattle 30-17.
"They very easily could be 3-0," Stefanski said. "They went on the road and played a good Cincinnati Bengals team and had them at the end, had a fumble, almost in field goal territory. Week 2, they go to Arizona, who is undefeated. They had a field goal they missed late in the game. Then they go home and played in their first home game. I thought they played lights out. So big challenge, really good football players on their roster."
The Vikings own the eighth-best offense in the NFL. Their defense is off to a slower start, currently ranked 20th in the league in points allowed.
Stat of the week
Quarterback Kirk Cousins in his past 10 games and where it ranks in the NFL:
3,036 passing yards, 2nd
26 passing touchdowns, 2nd
2 interceptions, tie 3rd
70.51 completion %, 3rd
Notable
QB Kirk Cousins hasn't thrown an interception in 200 attempts, closing in on his record of 201 from Oct. 13-Dec. 12, 2019. And his eight passing touchdowns is the most in the opening three games of a season in franchise history.
Since 2020, the Vikings are now tied with the Titans for most 100-yard rushing games by a running back with 11. Dalvin Cook has nine and Alexander Mattison two. Derrick Henry has all 11 of Tennessee's TDs.
WR Adam Thielen (418) passed Jake Reed (413) for sixth place on the team's career reception list.
WR Justin Jefferson's 1,655 recieving yards trails only Odell Beckham's 1,829 for most in NFL history through a player's first 19 career games.
TE Tyler Conklin has 13 receptions to rank fifth and NFC tight ends. He trails T.J. Hokenson, Rob Gronkowski, George Kittle and Dalton Schultz.
Ring of Honor
Former defensive tackle Kevin Williams will be the latest inductee into the team's Ring of Honor on Sunday.
Williams is third all-time on the team in sacks with 60.
He trails only Alan Page (108) and John Randle (114). Williams also is tied for second in defensive tackle Pro Bowl selections (6), tied with Randle and trailing Page (9).
Williams was the ninth overall pick in 2003 and went on to earn All-Rookie honors, setting the team record for sacks in a game (3).
In 11 seasons with Minnesota, he started every game, including playoffs. He was selected as a First Team Pro Bowl selection in 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009.
This addition puts the Vikings Ring of Honor total at 26.
Other members:
Fran Tarkenton
Alan Page
Jim Finks
Bud Grant
Paul Krause
Fred Zamberletti
Jim Marshall
Ron Yary
Korey Stringer
Mick Tingelhoff
Carl Eller
Bill Brown
Jerry Burns
Randall McDaniel
Chuck Foreman
John Randle
Scott Studwell
Chris Doleman
Matt Blair
Joey Browner
Ahmad Rashad
Randy Moss
Dennis Green
Steve Jordan
Miracle at the Met
The Vikings and Browns have only met 16 times, with Minnesota leading the series 12-4.
The best known game between the teams was the 'Miracle at the Met' on Dec. 14, 1980.
Cleveland led 23–9 in the fourth quarter, but the Vikings won as quarterback Tommy Kramer passed for two touchdowns to wide receiver Ahmad Rashad in the last two minutes, including a 46-yard Hail Mary pass caught with one hand on the last play of the game.
On the sidelines with a camera that day was a young sports writer for the Albert Lea Tribune named Lee Larson.
I know you could see me on the NFL Films highlights standing up in slow motion from a kneeling position as some players were going out of bounds.
BTW, I’d like to take credit for the photo of the Rashad TD, but it’s not mine.
And that ends this trip down Memory Lane.
Southwest Minnesota connections
Cleveland has two connections to southwest Minnesota.
First, Molly Hunt of Jackson is a long-time avid supporter of the Browns.
Also, wide receive Odell Beckham Jr.'s mother is Heather Van Norman, who was an outstanding track and field athlete at Windom High School.
Van Norman finished third in both the 200- and 400-meter events at the state Class A track and field meet. She never lost another race, winning her last 147 races.
Van Norman was the Eagles' only state qualifier as a junior in 1987. She scored 30 points and Windom won the state team title.
In her senior year in 1988, Windom's two-mile relay team placed third. Van Norman scored the rest of the points as the Eagles repeated as team champions.
Van Norman started her collegiate career at the University of Minnesota before transferring to LSU, where she was a six-time all-American and three-time NCAA champion.
She was an assistant coach at Georgia Tech and Rice and was also head track and field coach at Tulane and Nicholls State.
Van Norman has 101k followers on Instagram @heathervannorman
Beckham played his first game back from a torn ACL last week at Chicago and was on the field for 52 of the Browns 81 plays for 64%. He had surgery on Nov. 11, 2020.
He caught five passes for 77 yards, including a long catch of 26 yards. He also gained 10 yards rushing.
Scores
The Vikings lead the series with the Browns 12-4
10-31-1965: Minnesota Vikings 27, Cleveland Browns 17
11-19-1967: Cleveland Browns 14, Minnesota Vikings 10
11-10-1969: Minnesota Vikings 51, Cleveland Browns 3
01-04-1970: Minnesota Vikings 27, Cleveland Browns 7 (NFL Championship)
11-04-1973: Minnesota Vikings 26, Cleveland Browns 3
09-28-1975: Minnesota Vikings 42, Cleveland Browns 10
12-14-1980: Minnesota Vikings 28, Cleveland Browns 23
09-04-1983: Minnesota Vikings 27, Cleveland Browns 21
10-26-1986: Cleveland Browns 23, Minnesota Vikings 20
12-17-1989: Cleveland Browns 23, Minnesota Vikings 17 (OT)
11-22-1992: Minnesota Vikings 17, Cleveland Browns 13
12-09-1995: Minnesota Vikings 27, Cleveland Browns 11
11-27-2005: Minnesota Vikings 24, Cleveland Browns 12
09-13-2009: Minnesota Vikings 34, Cleveland Browns 20
09-22-2013: Cleveland Browns 31, Minnesota Vikings 27
10-29-2017: Minnesota Vikings 33, Cleveland Browns 16
Points scored: Minnesota Vikings 437, Cleveland Browns 247
Minnesota Vikings schedule
Sunday, Sept. 12 - at Cincinnati, L 27-24 (OT)
Sunday, Sept. 19 - at Arizona, L 34-33
Sunday, Sept. 26 - Seattle, W 30-17
Sunday, Oct. 3 - Cleveland, noon
Sunday, Oct. 10 - Detroit, noon
Sunday, Oct. 17 - at Carolina, noon
Sunday, Oct. 24 - Bye
Sunday, Oct. 31 - Dallas, 7:20 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 7 - at Baltimore, noon
Sunday, Nov. 14 - at Los Angeles Chargers, 3:05 p.m
Sunday, Nov. 21 - Green Bay, noon
Sunday, Nov. 28 - at San Francisco, 3:25 p.m
Sunday, Dec. 5 - at Detroit, noon
Thursday, Dec. 9 - Pittsburgh, 7:20 p.m
Monday, Dec. 20 - at Chicago, 7:15 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 26 - Los Angeles Rams, noon
Sunday, Jan. 2 - at Green Bay, 7:20 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 9 - Chicago, noon